SUPPORT OUR JOURNALISM: Please consider donating to keep our website running and free for all - thank you!

DenmarkEuropean RoyalsFeaturesInsight

Margrethe at 80: Preparing for a Crown

Today, let’s take a look at Queen Margrethe’s life as she prepared to be a queen. We’re looking back at her life from 1959 to 1971, just before her January 1972 accession to the throne.

[getty src=”558631203″ width=”492″ height=”594″ tld=”ca”]

Nineteen-year-old Princess Margrethe (right) with her younger sisters Anne-Marie and Benedikte on a skiing vacation in Gausdal, Denmark on 20 February 1959.

[getty src=”558633797″ width=”433″ height=”594″ tld=”ca”]

The Royal Family – led by King Frederick IX and Queen Ingrid – pose for an official photograph in March 1959.

[getty src=”514980788″ width=”473″ height=”594″ tld=”ca”]

Princess Margrethe was photographed on her first day at Copenhagen University – where she studied law and humanities – on 14 September 1959. She’s pictured with her friend Helle Stangerup.

[getty src=”515488992″ width=”582″ height=”594″ tld=”ca”]

In 1960, along with Princess Astrid of Norway and Princess Margaretha of Sweden, Princess Margrethe travelled to California. Here, the Princesses are pictured in front of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle at Disneyland.

[getty src=”517474378″ width=”592″ height=”594″ tld=”ca”]

Here, the Scandinavian princesses met Elvis Presley.

[getty src=”102913066″ width=”584″ height=”594″ tld=”ca”]

Princess Margrethe with her parents in Greenland, 1960.

[getty src=”103454011″ width=”594″ height=”585″ tld=”ca”]

Princess Margrethe, Princess Benedikte, and Princess Anne-Marie on a visit to Klaksvig, Faroe Islands, in 1963.

[getty src=”102912201″ width=”594″ height=”568″ tld=”ca”]

Queen Ingrid and her daughters in Randers, Denmark, June 1964. The next month, Princess Margrethe’s youngest sister, Anne-Marie, announced her engagement to the King of Greece, Constantine. They were married on 18 September that year, two weeks after her 18th birthday.

[getty src=”551688283″ width=”594″ height=”589″ tld=”ca”]

The Danish Royal Family at Anne-Marie’s wedding, 18 September 1964.

[getty src=”558628235″ width=”594″ height=”455″ tld=”ca”]

The Royal Family (minus Anne-Marie) posing for photographs in 1965.

[getty src=”103453946″ width=”591″ height=”594″ tld=”ca”]

Princess Margrethe and the Danish and Greek royal families with baby Princess Alexia in Corfu, Greece, summer 1965.

[getty src=”1165724239″ width=”594″ height=”403″ tld=”ca”]

Princess Margrethe in the UK, 1965.

[getty src=”588972379″ width=”594″ height=”395″ tld=”ca”]

In October 1966, Princess Margrethe announced her engagement to French diplomat, Henri de Laborde de Monpezat.

[getty src=”451499318″ width=”578″ height=”594″ tld=”ca”]

Princess Margrethe and Henri (he changed the spelling of his name to the Danish Henrik with their marriage) pictured in France, 1966.

[getty src=”83494355″ width=”594″ height=”381″ tld=”ca”]

On 10 June 1967, Princess Margrethe and Prince Henrik were married in Copenhagen.

[getty src=”1128208356″ width=”594″ height=”411″ tld=”ca”]

Princess Margrethe with her firstborn son and heir, Frederik, born in May 1968.

[getty src=”515467930″ width=”594″ height=”447″ tld=”ca”]

Princess Margrethe attended the wedding of Crown Prince Harald and Crown Princess Sonja on 29 August 1968 in Oslo, Norway. She can be seen in the second row, far right.

[getty src=”1188890567″ width=”594″ height=”397″ tld=”ca”]

Princess Margrethe and Prince Henrik in Rome, July 1969.

[getty src=”103454002″ width=”556″ height=”594″ tld=”ca”]

Princess Margrethe’s second son, Joachim, was born in June 1969. Here, she’s pictured with Prince Joachim in 1970.

[getty src=”558630685″ width=”594″ height=”400″ tld=”ca”]

Princess Margrethe on an official visit to Belgium in 1970.

About author

Jess Ilse is the Assistant Editor at Royal Central. She specialises in the British, Danish, Norwegian and Swedish Royal Families and has been following royalty since Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee. Jess has provided commentary for media outlets in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Jess works in communications and her debut novel THE MAJESTIC SISTERS is now available.